I Got You
by Charmpanda
Summary: Damian could always take care of himself. But his best pal Jack is a different story. Jack finds himself in a deep conflict. Can he handle it without the help of his best friend? ONE-SHOT


**Hello all :)**

 **Yes, I truly need to hurry up with the next/last chapter of Good Friends Make Better Times; but here's the thing with that. I'm currently lost in a maze of writers' block on that particular subject; and it's taking a little while to work my way out, so deep apologies there.**

 **Anyway: I'm hoping this little ONE-SHOT will occupy you.**

 **Of course, metal fight beyblade isn't in my possetion. I also don't own Jack and Damian, but they are such darlings.**

 **So here's the story.**

Jack loved the rain. Soft, serene drops of transparent beauty that fell gently from the graying skies to create small clear puddles of charming reflection on the smooth pavement. Yes he loved the rain. Which is why he chose to walk around HD academy on this particular Saturday, even though the school was closed. He liked the rain, and taking a long walk around the vast academy on a gloomy day, was just the perfect way to draw inspiration. As he neared the end of his second lap of the school, he noticed a group of four boys standing at the front doors of the school. Two of them leaned against the wall, while the other two leaned against the glass doors themselves. With their leather jackets, ripped jeans, double belts, and torn gloves, they really gave off a punkish type feel. Jack recognized them as four boys who were notorious throughout the HD academy for causing trouble and pushing Ziggurat off the handle with their refusals to comply with simple orders. Jack found it best to just ignore them. He continued walking.

"Hey you!" One of the boys called out to him. Jack recognized him as Bret, kind of the leader of their little punk group. "Can I help you?" Jack queried softly, trying to avoid further confrontation.

"Yeah, you're a friend of old Zig's aren't ya?" Bret questioned, "Why don't you get him to drop our suspension for us?"

"I have no interest in helping you." Jack stated quietly, before continuing his delicate pace around the school.

"Oh you will soon." Bret growled violently. He charged Jack and threw a punch at him. Jack evaded it by whipping around quickly, catching Bret's fist, and shoving him to the concrete. Shocked, the other three ran to their leader's aid. One of them apprehending Jack's arms, while the other two delivered consecutive blows to his stomach. Bret made a recovery afterwords and began slamming his fist into Jack's face.

A few minutes had passed and Bret finally tossed Jack into a puddle of water that had formed during the beating, signifying that he and his buddies were finished. He started to trot away but stopped to peer over his shoulder at Jack's fallen physique; his comrades reciprocating. "Maybe now you'll rethink your interest in helping us." He sneered before he and the rest took their leave.

"Don't think so." Jack growled to himself, shakily getting to his feet. If there was one thing he learned from the rough and tough dwarf he called his friend, it was to never give into a bully. He grabbed a tissue from his pocket to wipe the blood from his nose, and headed to the school's outdoor bathroom to cover his bruises with makeup. The last thing he needed was Damian to find out how badly he'd been hurt. If he knew him well enough; and he was pretty sure he did, he'd say that Damian would track down the goons that hurt him, and crush them until there was nothing left.

Damian glanced out the window of the kitchen in he and Jack's dorm room thing. The rain had stopped, and the sky was darkening as the evening became night. What the heck was that wacked out artist doing?

"Hey Damian." Jack hummed, not as lively as usual as he entered the kitchen.

"Where were you?" Damian asked, irritated that Jack made him worry.

"I got … into a bit of a fight. Jack murmured meekly, setting his bag on the kitchen island.

"Are you hurt? Who was it?! Need me to beat'm up for ya!?" Damian gasped in anger, narrowing his silver eyes. Jack chuckled, patting Damian on the head with a sweet smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It was just a couple of street kids." Damian nodded, though he still remained suspicious.

The next day, Jack was confronted by the same group as he exited the boys' bathroom. He tried to avoid them, but being slammed against the wall by Bret wasn't exactly the easiest thing to ignore. "Hello again boys." He sighed nonchalantly, doing his best not to seemed phase.

"You talk to old Zig yet Clown?" Bret sneered.

"Where'd you get the belief that I'd talk to Ziggurat? Was it the same place you got your ridiculous clothes?" Jack countered sharply. "And I am not a clown." Bret was silent for a little while, his friends exchanging surprised glances. Bret then suddenly punched Jack, and the torture began.

Escapades similar to that continued for a little over a week, until Jack found himself sliding down into a sitting position against the wall. He was tired. Constantly fighting those guys were exhausting, keeping his pain a secret was exhausting, standing up for himself was exhausting. But he absolutely did not want to tell Damian. He truly wanted to take care of himself. He wasn't going to have Damian's help all the time after all. He tentatively lifted his hand to his face to examine the newly acquired sprain in his left wrist.

"What's wrong?" That was Damian's voice, and it was perhaps the most quiet and concerned tone that Jack had ever heard him give. Jack gazed up to see Damian looking down at him. He actually looked rather cute. His gray eyes were larger than usual, and brimming with commiseration. And his lips were twisted into a slight frown. "What's wrong Jack? Training started fifteen minutes ago

Why do I find you here?" He queried, landing a hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack winced. He had totally forgotten about training, and there was no way he could do any sort of training with a sprained wrist. He lowered his chin to his chest, his burgundy hair falling over his face.

"Jack?" Damian breathed softly, becoming more and more worried.

"Damian. I, I just don't feel well, okay?" Jack stuttered, getting to his feet and dashing forward.

"Jack wait!" Damian cried, but Jack disappeared behind a corner. Damian bowed and shook his head. Something was definitely wrong with that kid. If Jack didn't want to go to a class, he'd just skip it.

It was really odd. Jack and Damian would usually be the last to enter the locker room, considering it was the end of the day and students were usually in a hurry. So the two would usually have the locker room to themselves, spending their time showering until the water ran cold, and chatting as Jack redid his makeup. But now it was awkward. Damian was all alone this time, pondering what to do with the Jack plight. He yawned with a stretch, and exited the locker room. To his utter surprise, Zeo was leaning against the gym doors. Damian trotted over to him.

"Why are you still here?" He spat, pulling his arms behind his head. And perhaps there was a better way to word it, but Damian didn't really care. Zeo brought a hand through his wild chocolate hair with an awkward giggle, his cerulean eyes darting around as he fished his brain for the right words. "Um, Jack's not with you … why?" Zeo finally replied.

"I don't know. He's been acting pretty weird all this week." Damian exhaled in annoyance, letting his arms fall back down to his sides.

"Oh … … . You mean you don't know?" Zeo remarked bashfully.

"Know what?" Damian asked.

"There's a rumor floating around, that Bret and the gang are bullying Jack." Zeo answered.

Jack found himself shoved against the wall by Damian.

"Why didn't you tell me this was happening to you?" Damian hissed. He took Jack's sprained wrist into his hand, gently caressing the tender area. Jack stared at

Damian with a sorrowful expression. "Damian I apologize." He whimpered, dropping his head. "I considered telling you, but I wanted to handle it alone. You're so good, but I can't have you mollycoddling me all the time." Damian stared at his friend for a while; thinking, a look of frustration and understanding sketching across his face. "Okay. But at least let me give you a little fighting pointers." He sighed.

"Oh, thank you Damian." Jack sang, lifting Damian off the ground and into his arms.

"Is this really necessary?" Damian groaned exasperatedly, "Aren't you hurting your wrist?" He only earned a bunch of spry giggles and cheers from the latter.

Damian spent the next week or so staying as close to Jack as possible, insuring that Bret in pals wouldn't attack him while his wrist was sprained. He also taught him a new fighting technique every evening before bed.

Now

Jack walked from the school's library. It was the end of the day and he was returning a really good novel that he just couldn't put down. And as if cued, Bret and friends blocked the entrance to the next hallway just for him.

"Where's your guard dog at, huh?" Bret sneered.

"Guard dog? Are you guys confused?" Jack chuckled lightly with an innocent blink. Bret growled. "You know? The stupid blue haired dwarf that has no place in this world that's always puppy guarding you." He stated bluntly. Jack lost his temper. "The only person who doesn't have a place in this world … is you!" He exclaimed, slamming his open, red, ballpoint pen into Bret's chest. Bret tumbled to the ground with a weak cry, causing Jack to smirk with a hand on his hip. Flustered, the other three charged Jack like they did before. Instead of letting the first guy apprehend him like the last time, he grabbed him by his wrists and tossed him at the other two. One of them got hit, knocking him and the guy who was thrown unconscious. The last one standing leaped for Jack. Jack rolled to the side, resulting in the guy landing head first into floor. Jack heaved a sigh of relief, dusting himself off even though he didn't really get dirty. Damian popped up from around a corner and darted over the his friend. "Good job." He congratulated with a soft smile.

"Thanks. I'm pretty proud of myself too." Jack laughed, haughtily flipping his hair. "You ready to head back to the dorm?" He asked excitedly.

"Um, you go on ahead. There's a few things that I've got to take care of." Damian said with a small wave. Jack nodded, before strutting away. Damian watched Jack walk off before turning his attention to the group of four that were sprawled across the hall, a wide smirk playing on his lips. "Are you guys ready to see what becomes of those who mess with my brother?" He snickered, popping his neck and knuckles threateningly as he ambled ominously over to the boys.

Damian found Jack sitting on the edge. Of the bed in their bedroom after he was finished taking care of _business_. He trotted over to him, and simply punched him in the face. Jack yelped, falling backward. "Ow Damian, what the heck was that for!!?" Jack gasped, sitting up and rubbing his nose.

"Sorry Jack. But that's for not telling me you were hurt." Damian huffed, taking a seat next to Jack. "You know? You can be such an idiot sometimes."

"Yes, I know." Jack sighed apologetically. "But I know you've got my back too." He pulled Damian up against his chest with a grin. "I sure do." Damian agreed with a nod and a smile, protectively wrapping his arms around Jack's tummy. And the two fell asleep together.

 **The truth of the matter is ... i suck at writing one-shots, but tell me what you think.**

 **Please review ... and feedback is love ;) teehee.**


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